Porphyrins - urine

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Female urinary tract

Male urinary tract

Porphyrin urine test

Various kinds of porphyrins exist with the same basic structure, but with slightly different chemical appearance.

Heme production involves biochemical conversion of porphyrins into delta-ALA, then to PBG, then uroporphyrin, then coproporphyrin, then protoporphyrin, and finally into the end product -- heme.

Each of these steps requires the presence of a specific enzyme. If any of the enzymes are deficient (because of a genetic disease or interference by a toxic substance), the intermediate substances build up, and a type of porphyria results.

Review Date: 02/01/2005
Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.